There is a Jewish legend about a rabbi who went on a journey with his servant named Jacob. Their cart was drawn by a lively horse of which the rabbi was very fond. When they came to a roadside inn, the rabbi went in to rest, leaving his horse in Jacob’s care. In the meantime, a horse trader passed by and, seeing Jacob, soon made friends with him. He plied him with drink and Jacob soon was so intoxicated it was easy for the horse trader to induce him to sell him the horse for a song.

Although drunk, Jacob was frightened by what he had done. What would the rabbi say when he came out of the inn? An idea occurred to him. He placed himself between the empty shafts of the cart and started to chew hay. When the rabbi came out, he was struck speechless by what he saw. “What’s the meaning of this?” he stammered. “Where’s the horse?”

“The horse? That’s me!” replied Jacob, and he uttered a loud whinny. “What on earth are you doing?” murmured the rabbi. “Have you gone out of your mind?” “Don’t be angry with me, Rabbi,” pleaded his servant, Jacob. “Years ago a great misfortune happened to me. I was a young man then, a little wild and foolish, and, may God forgive me, I sinned with a woman. So to punish me, God turned me into a horse – your horse. For twenty long years you have been my master, Rabbi, little suspecting who I really was. Well, it seems my punishment is over. I’m again a man, praise God!”

When the Rabbi heard Jacob’s story he was amazed. However, there was the practical difficulty of how he could continue his journey without a horse, so he went into the market place to buy one. Suddenly, he stood face to face with his old horse. It was munching a wisp of hay at the horse trader’s. Going up to it with a frown, the rabbi whispered in its ear, “For goodness sake, Jacob! Again, so soon!”

Tags: judgment, sin, temptation